The Busy Life That Goes Nowhere
My first job out of college had a very specific job description: print big stacks of reports and physically walk them around the building to people’s desks. While I did other tasks, at the time, it felt like that was basically my entire role.
During the week, I was hustling down the hallways with armfuls of paper. People would step out of the aisle to let me pass. If anyone stopped to ask how I was holding up, I’d sigh, look rushed, and say, "Oh man, I am just slammed."
And I genuinely meant it. I felt important. I was the guy running through the building with the reports.
What I wasn’t doing, however, was anything that actually mattered for my career. I was far too "busy" handing out paper to take a class, learn a new system, or pick up skills that could have moved me forward. I was running myself ragged doing low-value busywork, and I wore that exhaustion like a badge of achievement.
Looking back, it’s embarrassing, but it’s an incredibly common trap that many of us fall into.
Busy Doing What, Exactly?
There’s an old social study where researchers stopped strangers on the street and asked them to finish a simple sentence: "I am ____."
Nearly 80% of the respondents answered with some version of "busy." Even people with relatively light schedules gave the same response.
Over time, "I'm busy" stops being a statement about our calendar and turns into a reflex. It’s the default answer to "How are you?" because somewhere along the line, we decided that being overwhelmed makes us valuable. If we aren't stretched thin, we worry people might think we aren't working hard enough.
But there's a darker side to this reflex: it gives us a place to hide.
If you convince yourself that you’re completely maxed out, you get a built-in, socially acceptable pass to avoid all the big things you’ve been putting off.
"I’d love to start working out again, but you know how it is right now."
"I want to update my resume, but my schedule is just crazy."
"I need to map out a long-term plan for my team, but I can't catch my breath."
Falling back on "busy" is an easy way to protect us from the fear of starting something hard because we can just blame the calendar instead.
Taking Back the Narrative
Now, I can hear someone reading this and saying, "David, you haven't seen my calendar this week."
Fair enough. Some seasons are genuinely brutal. Between work deadlines, family needs, and life throwing unexpected curveballs, there are weeks where you really are just trying to keep your head above water.
But if we are honest with ourselves, outside of the non-negotiables required to keep our jobs and take care of our families, most of what sits on our daily schedule consists of things we chose to put there. And if we chose them, we can choose differently.
We all get the exact same 24 hours in a day. The difference comes down to what we allow to consume those hours.
If you want to test whether you're actually out of time or just caught in the busyness reflex, try these three simple mindset shifts:
Track your "No Time" moments: For one single day, every time you catch yourself thinking or saying "I don't have time for that," write down what you actually did during that hour instead. It’s an eye-opening exercise, mostly because "I didn't have time" and "I scrolled on my phone for 45 minutes" usually happen on the exact same afternoon.
Protect 15 minutes like a doctor's appointment: Pick the one goal or project you've been putting off and block off 15 minutes for it on your calendar. Treat those 15 minutes as completely unmovable. You wouldn't skip a critical doctor's appointment just because a few emails came in.
Change the vocabulary: The next time you start to say "I'm too busy to do that," stop and force yourself to state a counter argument: "I am choosing not to make that a priority right now." This strips away the excuse and puts you back in control of your schedule.
I've also put together a short 3-minute video breaking down how we use busyness as a hiding spot and how to start moving your priorities this week. Check it out here:
Go Deeper Into This Persona
This is the sixth installment in our series on the Eight Excuse Personas. These are the subtle, easy stories we tell ourselves to stay right where we are.
The "I'm Too Busy" persona is one of the most persuasive because the rest of the world will actively applaud you for wearing it. I break down all eight of these traps, along with a practical 30-day plan for reclaiming your schedule and focus, in my book The Excuse Index.
If you’re ready to stop letting a packed calendar dictate your progress and finally take control of your time, grab your copy here: 👉 Get Your Copy of The Excuse Index on Amazon
